Hannah Mills
HANNAH MILLS OBE, born on 29 February 1988 in Cardiff, is the most successful female Olympic sailor in history. She began sailing at the age of eight at Cardiff Sailing Centre (formerly Llanishen Sailing Centre) after trying the sport on a family holiday in Cornwall.
Her early promise was evident when she won the British Optimist Championships in 2001 and became the top female finisher at the 2003 Optimist World Championships, placing fifth overall – the best result by a British sailor at that event.
Mills’ Olympic career is marked by a progression of successes in the 470 class. Partnered with Saskia Clark, she secured a silver medal at the London 2012 Olympics, followed by a gold medal at the Rio 2016 Olympics.
After Clark’s retirement, Mills teamed up with Eilidh McIntyre, and the duo won gold at the Tokyo 2020 Olympics, held in 2021. This achievement made Mills the most decorated female Olympic sailor.
Beyond her Olympic accomplishments, Mills has been a two-time world champion in the 470 class, winning titles in 2012 and 2019. She has also been instrumental in promoting sustainability and inclusivity in sailing. In 2019, she launched the Big Plastic Pledge, aiming to reduce single-use plastics in sports.
In 2022, alongside Sir Ben Ainslie, she co-founded the Athena Pathway programme to fast-track the development of female and youth sailors. Under this initiative, Mills skippered the British team in the inaugural Women’s America’s Cup in 2024.
Mills has served as the on-board strategist for the Emirates Great Britain SailGP Team, competing in the global SailGP series.
Her contributions to sailing and environmental advocacy have been recognized with several honors, including being appointed Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in 2017 and Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 2022.
Mills is married to former Olympic windsurfer Nick Dempsey, and they have a daughter together.